Supreme Court upholds right of first sale..

[SirFozzie]

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...1-697_d1o2.pdf

Very interesting decision. Person buys foreign books overseas for cheap price, and sells them here in the US for lower then list price, but still makes money on the transaction.

Publisher had sued claiming copyright violation, but the court held that the right of first sale did not extend JUST to the US, but world wide.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a burgeoning grey market in such things as pharmaceuticals and software as well as books as a result of this. They charge a hell of a lot more for stuff here in the US then they do in developing markets..

[larrymcg421]

Interesting voting breakdown. Breyer, Thomas, Alito, Roberts, Sotomayor, and Kagan in the majority. Ginsburg, Kennedy, and Scalia in dissent.

[molson]

More and more copyrighted goods will probably just be licensed rather than sold, because the right of first sale only applies to owners. Software and e-book companies already do this, not sure if it could work with textbooks. Congress could just clarify if this is what they want the Copyright Act to mean, if of course, Congress still passed laws and stuff.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Interesting voting breakdown. Breyer, Thomas, Alito, Roberts, Sotomayor, and Kagan in the majority. Ginsburg, Kennedy, and Scalia in dissent.

Interesting indeed. Scalia gets the right of it again, but it doesn't matter.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...1-697_d1o2.pdf

Very interesting decision. Person buys foreign books overseas for cheap price, and sells them here in the US for lower then list price, but still makes money on the transaction.

Publisher had sued claiming copyright violation, but the court held that the right of first sale did not extend JUST to the US, but world wide.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a burgeoning grey market in such things as pharmaceuticals and software as well as books as a result of this. They charge a hell of a lot more for stuff here in the US then they do in developing markets..

I can't see pharmaceuticals falling into this category, since it's illegal to privately sell them.